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Protected computer
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<p>Protected computers is a term used in Title 18, Section 1030 of the <a href="/facts/United_States_Code/2AjxEDPq">United States Code</a>, (the <a href="/facts/Computer_Fraud_and_Abuse_Act/naSP6KRd">Computer Fraud and Abuse Act</a>) which prohibits a number of different kinds of conduct, generally involving unauthorized access to, or damage to the data stored on, "protected computers". The statute, as amended by the <a href="/facts/National_Information_Infrastructure_Protection_Act/gwu9EgdQ">National Information Infrastructure Protection Act</a> of 1996, defines "protected computers" (formerly known as "federal interest computers") as: </p> <blockquote><p>a computer— </p><p>(A) exclusively for the use of a financial institution or the United States Government, or, in the case of a computer not exclusively for such use, used by or for a financial institution or the United States Government and the conduct constituting the offense affects that use by or for the financial institution or the Government; or </p><p> (B) which is used in <a href="/facts/Interstate_commerce/rj5hgIdw">interstate or foreign commerce</a> or communication, including a computer located outside the United States that is used in a manner that affects interstate or foreign commerce or communication of the United States.</p></blockquote> <p>The law prohibits unauthorized obtaining of "information from any protected computer if the conduct involved an interstate or foreign communication," and makes it a felony to intentionally transmit malware to a protected computer if more than $5000 in damage (such as to the integrity of data) were to result. </p>